14th ICID - Poster Abstracts - International Society for Infectious ...

When citing these abstracts please use the following reference:
Author(s) of abstract. Title of abstract [abstract]. Int J Infect Dis 2010;14S1: Abstract number.
Please note that the official publication of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases 2010, Volume 14, Supplement 1
is available electronically on http://www.sciencedirect.com
Final Abstract Number: 31.003
Session: Non-tubercolous Mycobacteria
Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Time: 12:30-13:30
Room: Poster & Exhibition Area/Ground Level
Type: Poster Presentation
Hansen’s disease in Northeast Brazil
F. Pucci 1 , C. R. Teófilo 2 , T. S. Feitosa 2 , S. G. A. Aragão 2 , L. F. Távora 2
1 UNIFOR, Fortaleza, ceara, Brazil, 2 UNIFOR, Fortaleza, Brazil
Background: Hansen’s disease is an infectious malady with an insidious evolution caused by
Mycobacterium leprae. This bacteria is transmitted through contact with damaged skin/mucosa or
oropharyngeal/nasal secretions of infected patients. Peripheral nerves can be affected by this
disease too, which can be incapacitating if left untreated. In spite of the Brazilian government
efforts to contain the dissemination of Hanseniasis, it is still an important public health problem,
mainly in the poorer areas of the country, including the Northeast region. Knowing the disease
epidemiology, making early diagnosis and initiating adequate treatment and follow up are
indispensable tools to achieve its control. In order to understand the epidemiology of Hansen’s
disease in our city, we conducted the present study.
Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of all the patients with Hansen’s disease diagnosed
and treated in the Dona Libânia Dermatology Reference Center, in Fortaleza, Ceará, Northeast
Brazil, in 2008. Patients’ medical records were reviewed and the data collected was analyzed
utilizing the Epi Info 3.5 program.
Results: A total of 273 patients were included in the study and 52% were female. Most prevalent
age intervals were 41-60yrs (39,19%) and 20-40yrs (35,16%). Hypochromic or eritematous
patches, presence of skin nodules or plaques, neuropathic pain and functional sequelae were the
most frequent signs/symptoms found on admission, with prevalence of 81,7%, 59,6%, 23,1% and
13,3% respectively. In 27,8% patients the disease could not be classified. The remaining was
classified as follow: 37% borderline, 20,5% tuberculoid, 11,4% lepromatous and 3,3%
indeterminate. Only in 16,5% of the patients a household contact was identified as a reservoir of
the bacteria.
Conclusion: Hansen’s disease is still a prevalent disease in our city. Most of the patients were
adults, in productive working ages. Some of them presented with functional incapacity or
advanced neural damage on admission suggesting an unacceptable delay in the diagnosis. Our
findings point to the necessity of a better identification of risk factors, investigation of reservoirs
and the use of more sensitive methods for early detection of leprosy in order to achieve adequate
control of the disease.